AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA
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Homosexual
Agenda
Marriage Redefinition Timeline:
July 31, 2008 -- Massachusetts legislators pass a bill that would repeal a 1913 law and Governor Devin Patrick signs it. This is the law which stated a marriage could not be performed in Massachusetts if it would not be recognized in the couples home state. With the repeal of this law homosexuals from across America can go to Massachusetts to get married.
June 17, 2008 -- Legalized same-sex marriage begins in California. This could lead to a challenge to Pennsylvania's marriage law because too many of our legislators are unwilling to advance the Marriage Protection Amendment. Pennsylvania and the other twenty-two states that do not have a Marriage Protection Amendment as part of their Constitution are in real danger with last month's California Supreme Court decision. Click here to read the June 17th Pittsburgh Tribune Review article.
May 30, 2008 -- Wisconsin judge upholds Marriage Protection Amendment
May 15, 2008 -- Four California judges redefine marriage to include same-sex partnerships -- what does this mean for Pennsylvania and all other states without Marriage Protection Amendments? News Release
January 2008 -- Marriage is under assault all around us . . to our north, east and south. Will we be next?
November 20, 2007 -- Philadelphia Mayor John Street to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremony.
September 18, 2007 -- Maryland Court of Appeals rules that Maryland's 1973 Defense of Marriage Act does not discriminate on the basis of gender and does not deny any fundamental rights, and that the state has a legitimate interest in promoting opposite-sex marriage.
September 12, 2007 -- A judge in Albany, NY said New York State should recognize the marriages of same-sex couples whose ceremonies were performed out of state. This decision noted that state employees who entered into same-sex marriages out of state should be treated as married for the purposes of collecting benefits under the New York State Retirement System. Additionally, Governor Eliot Spitzer is in favor of same-sex marriage.
September 7, 2007 -- A Drexel Hill lesbian who had left her job to follow her partner to Florida sued for unemployment compensation in Commonwealth Court. These benefits are not extended to unmarried persons – period.
August 30, 2007 -- Judge Overturns Iowa Ban on Same-Sex Marriages - New York Times Polk County, Iowa Judge Robert Hanson concluded that the state’s prohibition on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. The Polk County recorder was to begin issuing marriage licenses to six gay couples who had filed a lawsuit. The judge ruled that Iowa’s Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violated the constitutional rights of due process and equal protection. The following day after two college-age homosexual men married, Judge Hanson verbally stayed the order. Now the judges will decide!
August 25, 2007-- Senator Vince Fumo is considering sponsorship of a bill to extend domestic partner benefits to same-sex couples. Legislatively extending benefits to same-sex couples that have historically been reserved for those legally married will cheapen marriage. Ownership of property, inheritance and hospital visitation can all be dealt with by a visit to an attorney’s office.
August 19, 2007 -- New Jersey’s civil union law has created the potential of forcing religious organizations to allow homosexuals to use their facilities for their ‘marriage’ ceremonies. Additionally when the law went into effect in February it immediately recognized civil unions performed in Vermont and Connecticut and same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts and Canada. A United Methodist camp is suing the state to prevent it from being forced to permit homosexuals to use their facilities.
January 2007 -- Bills to legalize same-sex marriage introduced in Vermont and Washington state.
December 21, 2006 -- New Jersey Governor Corzine signed legislation granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples through civil unions. The law goes into effect on Monday, February 19, 2007.
November 7, 2006: Seven out of eight states pass Marriage Protection Amendments:
- Colorado (a constitutional amendment that would have legalized domestic partnerships was soundly defeated also)
- Idaho
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Arizona’s did fail by a 51% to 49% margin (homosexual activists worked overtime to divert voters' attention away from the reason for the amendment -- to prevent same-sex marriage -- and concentrated on scaring retired heterosexuals who were living together out of wedlock. They told them that passage of the amendment would negatively affect them.)
October 25, 2006 -- New Jersey Supreme Court Hands Down Unanimous Decision to Recognize Same-sex Relationships. In a 4-3 Decision Gives Legislative Body 180 Days to Legalize Same-sex Marriage or Civil Unions.
September 29, 2006 - Judge rules that 1913 Massachusetts law that had been used to prevent homosexuals from other states from traveling to Massachusetts to get married does not prevent Rhode Island lesbians from getting married in Massachusetts. News Release
July 24, 2006 -- Washington State Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage is illegal under current law.
July 14, 2006 -- a federal court upheld Nebraska's constitutional amendment. It had been struck down on May 11, 2005. The amendment was the broadest and most restrictive in the nation. It defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman, and also prohibited state recognition or creation of civil unions, domestic partnerships or other similar same-sex relationships. It was passed by 70% of Nebraskans in 2000.
July 6, 2006 -- Georgia Supreme Court decided unanimously that the 2004 Marriage Protection Amendment approved by 76% of voters was constitutional. This overturned Fulton County Superior Judge Constance Russell's ruling stating that the amendment violated the state's single-subject rule.
July 6, 2006 -- New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, by a 4-2 decision ruled that same-sex marriage is not permitted under state law. It clearly states that marriage is between a man and a woman. Any change in the law should come from the state Legislature, Judge Robert Smith wrote. Homosexual activists immediately began working in Albany to get a law passed that would legalize same-sex marriage.
"We do not predict what people will think generations from now, but we believe the present generation should have a chance to decide the issue through its elected representatives," Smith wrote.
February 12, 2006 -- This week the New Jersey Supreme Court will hear the case of seven homosexual couples wanting to expand that state's domestic partner law to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Philadelphia Inquirer story. Those wanting to legalize same-sex marriage are calling it the 'civil rights movement of the 21st century, angering many African American leaders including the Rev. Jesse Jackson. New York's Appeals Court, its highest court, is currently hearing arguments to legalize same-sex marriage.
February 6, 2006 -- Marriage Protection Amendment Legislation introduced in the Senate by Senator Bob Regola. Click here to view SB 1084.
January 24, 2006 -- Marriage Protection Amendment legislation (H.B. 2381) introduced by five primary co-sponsors -- Representatives Scott Boyd (R-Lancaster), Katie True (R-Lancaster), Tom Yewcic (D-Cambria), Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) and Teresa Forcier (R-Crawford). There are almost 85 co-sponsors! In coming weeks Senator Bob Regola will introduce same language in the State Senate. The earliest the amendment can be before the people is November 2007!
January 20, 2006 -- A Baltimore Judge Declares Maryland's Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional!
October 28, 2005 -- Alaska Supreme Court Throws Out Portion of Marriage Amendment Which Forbids Domestic Partner Benefits to Same-sex Couples -- 70% of Alaskans had passed the amendment!!
July 20, 2005 -- Over
Objections of the Church and the People, Spanish Government Approves
Same-Sex Marriage
July 19, 2005 -- Canadian Senate
Approves Same-Sex Marriage -- Will Pennsylvanians who are homosexual cross the
border to marry then return to challenge our Defense of Marriage Act??
We Need a Marriage Protection Amendment NOW!!
July 9, 2005 -- One
year later -- New Jersey homosexuals say domestic partnerships are not good
enough, we want full marriage rights.
May 12, 2005 one federal judge throws out the Nebraska
Defense of Marriage Amendment in which 70% of Nebraskans in 2000 defined
marriage as between one man and one woman.
March 14, 2005 one judge in California rules that the state's ban on
same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
February 4, 2005 -- one judge in New York City rules
it is unconstitutional to ban same-sex marriage - the city appeals
May 17, 2004 -- Massachusetts legalizes
same-sex marriage
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